It was inevitable.
Once the NFL crossed the revenue Rubicon of RedZone commercials, the inventory of ads was destined to expand from four 15-second commercials in seven hours of previously commercial-free football. Only six weeks later, it has.
In the latest edition of The Varsity newsletter at Puck, John Ourand shared the results of a study performed by Jacob Feldman of Sportico.
Feldman rewatched the Week 7 RedZone broadcast. He spotted seven 15-second ads and seven “L-bar” ads that fill the sides of the screen but don’t override the audio. Host Scott Hanson also had sponsored segments for four different advertisers.
Some will say “relax, guy.” Others will long for the days when the premium product excluded the hidden cost of consuming free TV.
None of this should surprise anyone. As the league gets closer to the finish line of Roger Goodell’s $25 billion-per-year-by-2027 marathon, it will run faster, not slower.
And with no true alternatives for football fans who want to see the best parts of the various games being played simultaneously, what will they do? Stop watching?
They’ll frown and bear it. They’ll get used to it. They’ll relax, guy. Eventually, the league may offer a super-premium version without commercials. Which will create even more revenue.
Make no mistake about it. Football is business. They only say “football is family” because it’s good for business to say “football is family,” not “football is business.”
Maximize the dollars coming in. Minimize the dollars going out. Because superyachts ain’t free.
